The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all but essential travel to South Africa.
The move came as South African authorities introduced measures restricting individuals entering South Africa if they have come from countries affected by coronavirus including UK. The new measures will come in to force on March 18.
The FCO said: “Cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in South Africa. The South African authorities have introduced a number of measures to limit the spread of the virus.”
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Officially there are just 61 confirmed cases of coronavirus in South Africa but the country has declared a national state of disaster due to the global pandemic.
The South African government has imposed travel bans on some nationals, and is shutting schools and banning public gatherings of more than 100 people.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “We have decided to take urgent and drastic measures to manage the disease, protect the people of our country and to reduce the impact of the virus on our society and on our economy. There can be no half measures.”
Over 430,000 British tourists visit South Africa each year.